Creating Beauty Is Its Own Reward

The last eight weeks has been a bit of a whirlwind for our family.

We had a baby.  Blessed our baby.  Celebrated Christmas.

Built an igloo.

Made arrangements to buy a new house.

Put our house on the market.  Sold our house.

Needless to say, we've also spent a lot of time cleaning and packing this Christmas too.

We've probably spent an equal amount of time thanking the Lord and being so, so amazed at the incredible blessings and changes that have come into our lives in a very short period of time.  The future looks so very different than it did this time last year...and we are all on cloud nine about the whole thing.  

Of course, I had to take a few days to mourn leaving this place that we have spent five years loving into it's current condition...We spent hours and hours of work (and play) loving it from a house into a home--a home that welcomes little children into it with open arms.  Yeah.  We did that!

We painted every wall, planted EVERY tree and/or bush, made every arrangement to make it comfortable for our little people.  Everything beautiful that was said or done in the walls of this home, we did.  Or our friend's did for us through kind acts of service and in sharing of the spirit as they gathered with us here.  

A home is such a special, sacred, personal thing, if we treat it as such, and that is why I was so happy when I found out that the person buying our home is a friend of mine!  (A friend who I really think is special and good, and a wonderful mother!)

This too was a blessing for me from the Lord himself...a tender mercy.  A blessing that made me feel that the Lord was giving our home to someone who would also love it and make beautiful memories here (with her husband and two young children who happen to be the exact same ages as my two youngest!)  I received a very sweet email from her saying as much!

The other night, I was commenting to Steve about all of the work that we've done to create a lovely, peaceful, private backyard (among other improvements.)  I half-way lamented about leaving behind the beautiful stone walkway that I laid the stones for myself just two summers ago...(not to mention with sweat-equity of my sister and brother-in-law who helped to haul all of the landscaping materials when they came to visit!)

And then Steve said something that sums up who we are as a couple.  He said that sometimes making something beautiful is its own reward.  We don't necessarily have to enjoy it ourselves, in order to enjoy it.  The act of creating beauty is its own reward.

So, with that, we will happily and joyfully turn over our house to a new family who will reap the benefits of our labors, and turn our minds and hearts toward creating a new home where our family will learn new lessons and experience brand new adventures together.  Let a new chapter begin!!